A senior lawyer asked me to boil client development down into a bullet point list of no more than 10 suggestions. I confess it’s hard to pick a Top 10, but here are the 10 that first came to my mind.
- Client development has changed. It is more focused than ever on the client and becoming a remarkable lawyer in the client’s eyes.
- Your clients expect you to understand their industry, their company and them individually.
- By reading what clients read and belonging to organizations they belong to, you are best positioned to identify their problems, opportunities, internal and external changes that require legal help.
- Prepare a business plan with goals to focus your attention and not waste time.
- To become a “go to lawyer” in the eyes of your clients and potential clients, writing and speaking on their problems, opportunities, internal changes and external changes are the best “bang for the buck” uses of your non-billable time.
- Connectors are best suited to get business by being active in the Bar and/or community and building as many relationships with diverse groups of people as possible. Are you a connector? To see, take the test in Malcolm Gladwell’s book “The Tipping Point.” I also found a survey you can take: Are You A Maven, Salesman, Or Connector?
- Client development is a contact sport. Be purposeful about staying in touch with your contacts.
- Clients hire lawyers more than law firms. You get considered based on your profile and you get hired based on how well you build trust and connect with the decision maker.
- Clients are not satisfied with the level of service they receive. It is important to be responsive and to understand their industry company and representative. Think of ways you can enable the client representative to do his or her job more effectively.
- Make client development a habit and try to do something, no matter how small, each and every day.